Endodontic Treatment Statistics

The most recent information available on the frequency of endodontic procedures comes from the American Dental Association Survey of Dental Services Rendered, conducted in late 2005-early 2006 and published in August of 2007. The survey is available from the ADA’s Health Policy Resources Center (login required). A previous version of the survey was published in 1999, and the survey has not been repeated since 2005-2006. Information for the survey was collected using printed survey questionnaires and patient care logs, which documented the actual number of patients seen and the specific procedures completed. Data collected was used to compile national estimates for each dental procedure and specialty.

Relevant statistics from the 2005-2006 survey:

It is estimated that 22.3 million endodontic procedures were performed annually:

15.2 million/68% were performed by general dentists

5.7 million/26% were performed by endodontists

The remainder were performed by other dental specialists

It is estimated that 15.1 million root canal treatments were performed annually:

10.9 million/72% were performed by general dentists

4.2 million/28% were performed by endodontists

It is difficult to compare the 2005-2006 data to the previous Survey of Dental Services Rendered (1999) because the ADA changed the way it collected and reported data. For example, retreatments, root canal obstructions, incomplete endodontic therapy and apexification were not part of the 1999 survey but were included in 2005-2006.

The estimated total of all endodontic procedures went up about 10% from 1999 to 2006 (from 20.3 million to 22.3 million).

The estimated total number of root canal treatments went down 5% from 1999 to 2006 (from 15.8 million to 15.1 million).

Endodontists performed about 100,000 more root canal treatments in 2006 than in 1999 (an increase of about 3%) and general dentists performed about 830,000 fewer root canal treatments in 2006 than in 1999 (a decrease of about 6%).